(1) Summary of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved lockable drawer and cabinet assembly. In particular the present invention relates to an improved and simplified drawer lock assembly.
(2) Prior Art
The prior art has provided drawer and cabinet assemblies wherein each drawer is mounted on dual sliding tracks which move horizontally into and out of the cabinet. The problem is to lock the drawers against movement by turning a key. This is usually accomplished by providing stop members which are moved upon opening one drawer into the line of movement of one of the sliding tracks for each drawer to thereby prevent the drawers from opening.
The prior art has used stop members which are bolted to the face of a vertically oriented member and slideable in a preformed box shaped channel mounted on one side of the cabinet by turning a key in a lock. The vertically oriented member forms a backbone supporting the stop members which are secured by bolts to the vertically oriented member. The stop members slide vertically against the walls of the channel. In this prior art cabinet and drawer assembly the channel must be separately and precisely formed and the stop members tend to bind in the channel, particularly if there is any warping of the channel during assembly of the cabinet. This construction is also expensive because of the need to form and install the channel and to precision form the stop members to fit in the channel. Also the bolts for securing the stop members to the vertically oriented member are an extra expense and the bolts can come loose because of attempted opening of the drawers when the stops are blocking the tracks in the locked position.